The Eaglehttps://www.obamaeagle.org
Pittsburgh Barack Obama Academy of International StudiesWed, 21 Feb 2018 15:31:49 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.4https://www.obamaeagle.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/cropped-obama-eagle2-e1282428962315-32x32.pngThe Eaglehttps://www.obamaeagle.org
3232Obama Eagle Editors React to Florida School Shootinghttps://www.obamaeagle.org/all-posts/news/2018/02/20/obama-eagle-editors-react-to-florida-school-shooting/
Tue, 20 Feb 2018 15:32:24 +0000https://www.obamaeagle.org/?p=13194On February 14th, 2018, in Parkland, Florida Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, a school shooting took place. Nikolas Cruz, the nineteen year old perpetrator, was armed with a semi automatic weapon, multiple boxes of ammunition, smoke grenades and a gas mask. Authorities said Cruz pulling the fire alarm to start mass panic and the evacuation of the scholars of the school. He then went from hall to hall, gunning down random students who were roaming throughout the corridors.

The nineteen year old student, Nikolas Cruz, was expelled from the school previously for fighting. The man is now being charged with what is one of the ten deadliest mass shootings in American history. He has been charged with 17 charges of murder, further allegations towards him have yet to be made. Stoneman Douglas High School, will be closed for the rest of the week. Additionally, the district will provide grief counselling to the students and their families.

Although this incident is very tragic. Many people have taken to the internet to call attention to the massive number of school shootings the United States has faced over the past eighteen years. As well as just the first two months of this year. Many young adults and high school students no longer want to hear the same story of tragedy and how thoughts and prayers are with the victims. People are requesting a policy change in how we handle gun sales and firearm licences as well as what types of weapons are available to the public. Many times this has been brought forth to Congress with no actual changes, such as after the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012. This means that people are doubtful that changes will occur after the shooting.

Conversely some are calling for more guns especially in schools. Although a so called “Good Guy with a Gun” theory has never been proven to work, many have brought it up as the solutions to school shootings. Although it is a rather reactionary strategy, numerous people have hailed it as being the method to stop school shootings, particularly after the Sandy Hook incident.

Furthermore, it is imperative that a real solution is found to end this vicious cycle of tragedy in American society. Without one, the story of what happened to the students of the Stoneman Douglas High School will have been for nothing.

]]>Op-Ed: Prayers Aren’t Working.https://www.obamaeagle.org/all-posts/top-stories/2018/02/19/op-ed-prayers-arent-working/
Tue, 20 Feb 2018 02:47:11 +0000https://www.obamaeagle.org/?p=13189Just for a moment, imagine. Put down whatever you’re doing, clear your head of all distractions, all worries, and just imagine. Imagine that you are a student – that part probably isn’t too difficult. Now imagine that you’re in school – also not too tall of a task. It’s just like any other day. Maybe you’re in math class. Maybe it’s lunch. You’re thinking about what you’re going to do after school, whether you’ll get Chipotle or pizza. You feel comfortable. You feel safe.

Now imagine that all of a sudden a man walks in with an AR-15 and murders 14 of your peers. Maybe you knew them. Maybe they were your best friends. Maybe you were one of them.

Maybe you had always picked on them, and you kept telling yourself that you were going to apologize, to make it up to them, but now it’s too late. They’re dead. Their parents just received a phone call at work – something terrible has happened. In a matter of minutes, 17 families – because three teachers were also killed – have lost a son or a daughter. These families were going to see a movie together this weekend, and now they have to arrange a funeral service.

At this point, it’s clear that more could have been done to prevent the Florida shooting. Police had received at least 20 warning calls regarding the suspect, Nikolas Cruz, prior to the incident. He had commented on a YouTube video in 2017 blatantly stating his intentions. The signs were all there. I’m not saying that the situation couldn’t have been avoided.

What I am saying is that this is the eighth school shooting this year. It’s February. How many more is it going to take before we do something to stop the trend? How many bodies? How many families? 50? 100?

People do not need assault rifles. No one needs to be able to fire 400 rounds per minute to protect themselves from the intruder trying to steal their T.V. That’s not opinion. That’s fact. Say what you will about pistols, responsibility, your Second Amendment rights, whatever. That’s a discussion for another time. But don’t tell me that any normal human being needs an AR-15.

I am a student. I get on the bus every morning and sit in class for seven hours under the assumption that I will not end up with a bullet in my head. That is not an unreasonable demand. That should not have been an unreasonable demand for those 14 kids, either. And the same principle applies to their mentors.

And yet nothing changes. There were more mass shootings than days in the year last year, and yet the same conservatives in Congress refuse to acknowledge reality. Words aren’t helping. Facts aren’t helping. It’s time to take action.

On March 14, the #Enough walkout will take place. Organized by the same warriors who authored the Women’s March, the occasion is intended for students and teachers to stand in solidarity and send a message to our elected officials that we won’t quit until we secure substantial gun reform.

Ten days later, on March 24, is the March For Our Lives, where the faculty and attendees of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, the site of the shooting, will storm Washington to face lawmakers and push for change. Once again, students are encouraged to walk out in support.

Finally, the National Day of Action Against Gun Violence is slated for April 20, with a similar tenet: cause disruption enough to show once and for all that we’re not just going to sit idly by and take it.

At the top of this rant, I asked you to imagine. My friends, the time for imagining is over. Now is the time for doing. I strongly urge you to participate in at least one, if not all, of these demonstrations. If you’re skeptical, simply ponder these historic events. The Vietnam War protests. The anti-apartheid rallies in South Africa. Tiananmen Square. What do all of these have in common? Each involved some form of student intervention – the youth of the nation banding together and rising up to let those in power know that they will hear our voices.

This is your chance to make a difference, to be a part of history. Vow to join the resistance and fight back until they have no choice but to bow to our will. Tell your friends and relatives. Let Wednesday be the last day that we ever have to read headlines about a school shooting via assault rifle.

We owe it to those 17 victims, and to the countless other victims that have lost their lives as a result of the obstinacy and indolence of our representatives and of our country as a whole.

We can’t let them die in vain.

]]>A Q&A with Mary Niederbergerhttps://www.obamaeagle.org/all-posts/news/2018/02/19/a-qa-with-mary-niederberger/
Mon, 19 Feb 2018 22:32:43 +0000https://www.obamaeagle.org/?p=13180This Sunday, Pittsburgh Magazine and PublicSource published a profile of PPS Superintendent Anthony Hamlet, written by veteran Pittsburgh education reporter Mary Niederberger. We caught up with Ms. Niederberger to ask her some questions about the process of writing the article and her thoughts on the biggest education issues in Pittsburgh today.

Your beat is education. Why that area?

It’s such an important area to report upon. Education affects every single child and the quality of education that they receive determines how successful they can become in life. Also, every homeowner pays a substantial amount of property taxes to the school district in the community where they live and it is important to cover the districts to see if they are spending those tax dollars in the best way to educate students.

Tell us about the process for writing the Hamlet article.

My editors approached Dr. Hamlet about the possibility of doing a profile so that we could see what he is actually doing to make his strategic plan work in Pittsburgh. He agreed immediately and so I worked with the district Public Information Officer, Ebony Pugh, to set up dates and times when I could shadow Dr. Hamlet in various settings throughout the city and over a period of about eight weeks. The district suggested some of the days/events and I asked for others.

Did this article differ from other pieces you’ve worked on? Where would you rank it in terms of memorability?

So this differed from other pieces in the amount of time I spent on it. Reporters don’t often get to spend this much time going this in-depth on a subject. In terms of it being memorable, it ranks with 2-3 other stories where I actually had a good deal of time to spend with someone and really understand their mission.

Why do you think Superintendent Hamlet was willing to open up so much of his time- and himself- up to you for this article?

I can only guess on this one. But I think it’s because he wants the Pittsburgh community to see what his vision is and how he is going about trying to make that vision a reality. He didn’t really have to give up much of his time for the article. It was more a matter of letting me tag along on things and ask questions.

Having spoken so much with Mr. Hamlet, and knowing that many constituents of PPS do not look favorably upon his tenure, do you think he gets a bad rap?

I think there was much negativity that surrounded his beginnings here in Pittsburgh — the controversy over his resume. I think there are some people who don’t ever want to forgive him for that, though others have. I also think there are employees in the district who don’t like all of the changes that Dr. Hamlet is trying to bring and so they have a negative view of him. It’s human nature for people to reject or avoid change.

Having followed Dr. Hamlet for the amount of time that I did, I can say that he does very much have a vision and focus on what he wants to see happen in the district and he knows how he wants to make that happen and he is working hard to make that happen. So as far as that goes, I think he likely deserves a reputation as someone who has researched his vision and is working hard to make it happen. The big question — as the article points out — is whether he will be able to get everyone on board to make that vision become a reality.

As you were writing this article, you visited several schools with Dr. Hamlet. Did student opinions of the superintendent vary with each school?

There was no school where we visited that students were not happy to see him and friendly toward him. At the elementary schools, students didn’t really know who he was but they were friendly and responsive to him. At the secondary schools, where students knew who he was, in all cases they appeared to be excited to see him and often asked for selfies with him. The only negative reaction I received about Dr. Hamlet was at Pittsburgh CAPA, where we were just after the teachers union announced that it was taking a strike vote. There was a student there who told Dr. Hamlet she was going to be very upset if there was a strike and her graduation was delayed.

In your mind, what is the biggest issue facing PPS that Dr. Hamlet needs to address?

The racial lines along which multiple important issues fall. The academic achievement gap between white and black students. The fact that black students are far more likely to be suspended or arrested than white students. And the fact that there are so few black students in the gifted program. Second biggest issue is the low achievement scores throughout the district.

What’s your impression of the teachers’ strike? What needs to be done to avoid conflicts like it in the future?

It’s nearly impossible for me to comment on the threat of a teachers strike presented by the union. I’m not at the bargaining table and I only know what the issues are based on press releases. There are many nuances in negotiations and only the two sides at the table know what they are. I will say I think it would be devastating for students and their families if there is a strike. Students would lose out on crucial learning time and preparation for state assessments and learning time and preparations for AP exams. Working parents would be scrambling to find child care and some will be faced with the choice of either losing work (and pay) or leaving their children home unattended.

On Wednesday, a shooter walked into a school in Florida and gunned down 17 people. This marks the latest in a series of countless comparable tragedies. What do we do?

I wish I knew the answer to that question. I have worried about this issue both as a reporter and a parent. Clearly the availability of firearms needs to be addressed. But beyond that, I think all of systems involved — schools, law enforcement, Congress — need to put their heads together and act quickly and effectively.

Students across the nation have begun planning a walkout to express their outrage over the fact that very little has been done to protect schools from shootings over the past decade. How do you feel about that idea?

I’m not familiar with the walkout that you are mentioning. But I heard this morning on the national news that students are planning a march on Washington next month. I think that any planned, peaceful protest that students plan could be effective. I keep hearing students say that adults have failed children in this area and I think they are right. Congress and the President have not listened to adults who would like to see changes made in gun laws. Perhaps they will listen to the students. But it makes sense for students to make sure their voices are heard. They are the ones who are dying because of the inaction of adults.

We are grateful for Ms. Niederberger for answering our questions, and we urge readers to look at more of her work over at PublicSource.

]]>Senior of the Week: Alex Jacobshttps://www.obamaeagle.org/all-posts/top-stories/2018/02/19/senior-of-the-week-alex-jacobs/
Mon, 19 Feb 2018 17:05:26 +0000https://www.obamaeagle.org/?p=13170This week’s Senior of the Week is none other than Shlong Jacobs. Although he may be difficult to spot at times, he is still a somewhat valued member of Obama’s student body. Find out a little more about Alex below.

What is your favorite memory of Obama?

Leaving Junior year and not coming back, but then I did.

What will you miss the most?

Good old Joey.

Would you recommend Obama to incoming students?

Only to those who wish to torture themselves

What is one thing you would like to see changed about our school?

Less middle schoolers, more bathrooms.

What is something you like to do in your free time?

Anything but this.

What’s your favorite store?

The Sunoco across the street.

What is your favorite food?

Probably calzones.

What is something you’d like to accomplish in life? (it can be anything)

I would like to graduate.

What are your plans for college?

I don’t really know but we’ll see.

What do you want to major in?

Chemistry or chemical engineering.

Who is your favorite teacher?

Mr. Ehman, not cause he’s a good teacher or person but because he’s very helpful.

Any shoutouts or last words?

Shoutout to my boy Yanny T. Also shoutout to the Bosnian, and yeah that’s about it.

]]>Op-Ed: So the Teachers Might Be Going on Strike. What Now?https://www.obamaeagle.org/all-posts/news/2018/02/17/so-the-teachers-might-be-going-on-strike-what-now/
Sun, 18 Feb 2018 04:28:09 +0000https://www.obamaeagle.org/?p=13175In 1970, the last time Pittsburgh Public went on strike, many of our teachers were still in school. Some of them were not even born yet. Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s not like there haven’t been disputes since then – there certainly have – but at no point since has any disagreement ever escalated to the level that direct action was a necessary course. Most of us assumed that this time would be no different.

As we discussed in a previous article, this does not necessarily mean that there will be a strike. Essentially, we can interpret the authorization in one of two ways: either it’s merely a move on the part of the PFT to put pressure on the board to settle, or they really mean business. At this juncture, it’s safe to say that, if no concord is reached during this round of bargaining, or at the very least no progress is made, we’ll be sleeping in as early as Tuesday; as long as we’re given 48 hours notice, anything is fair game.

But don’t start celebrating just yet. A walk-out would be, to put it mildly, disastrous for all parties involved. Students, a large portion of whom are too young to stay home alone, will leave parents/guardians no choice but to call off of work or arrange other accommodations, which is no small task for many families. Teachers are required to be on the picket line for eight hours a day. And the board is effectively rendered powerless for the duration of the demonstration. Oh, and don’t forget: any time away from school will have to be made up, either in the form of a curtailed spring break or an extension of the year deeper into June. Any way you slice it, we really don’t want a strike.

At this stage, there’s very little to be done. Our fate is in the hands of those currently hashing it out in a conference room somewhere, cups of coffee long gone stale. But no matter the end result, this entire ordeal reveals a deeper, more disturbing reality. Any time a group of workers – be it miners, steelers, teachers, or anyone else – is incapable of reaching a fair compromise within the confines of typical means, and is instead resigned to taking matters into its own hands, it is indicative of a far more pervasive issue.

We as students need to be doing more to make our voices heard. When we see our mentors suffering, it is our responsibility to step up, to contact higher-ups, to make it clear that the people we entrust ourselves to for 40 hours per week deserve to be getting paid, deserve honesty. We need to establish a transparent line of communication between schools and school boards, not just in the city but on a nationwide scale. We need to work together to create productive environments not only for students but for teachers, so that they can be confident in the knowledge that they’ll be able to pay the bills, and can instead focus on enabling today’s youth the way we know they’re capable of.

This Wednesday, 14 kids and three teachers died in Florida at the hands of a school shooter wielding an AR-15. We can’t afford to be bickering amongst ourselves.

For forthcoming information on the contract friction, stay tuned to the Eagle.

]]>New Movie Uncovers the History of Jazz in Pittsburghhttps://www.obamaeagle.org/all-posts/arts-entertainment/2018/02/17/new-movie-uncovers-the-history-of-jazz-in-pittsburgh/
Sat, 17 Feb 2018 21:44:54 +0000https://www.obamaeagle.org/?p=13165I recently attended the premiere for a new documentary, We Knew What We Had: The Greatest Jazz Story Never Told. Produced by Marty Ashby through the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, the documentary is an hour-long picture about Pittsburgh’s jazz scene during the 1940’s and 50’s. It features legendary Pittsburgh jazz musicians includingGeorge Benson, Ahmad Jamal, Stanley Turrentine, Billy Eckstine, Kenny Clarke, Art Blakey, Billy Strayhorn and Mary Lou Williams. The documentary was over 10 years in the making and includes incredible original footage from the archives of museums around Pittsburgh, as well as a collection of Teenie Harris’ photographs from the period. The film, besides discussing Pittsburgh as a legendary jazz town, also covers important issues like gentrification and what caused the end of the jazz era in Pittsburgh. The documentary is being featured on over 300 stations around the country and is to be aired on WQED at 7pm on Sunday, February 18th.

]]>Mayor Bill Peduto Visits Obamahttps://www.obamaeagle.org/all-posts/top-stories/2018/02/15/13154/
Fri, 16 Feb 2018 02:11:05 +0000https://www.obamaeagle.org/?p=13154This Monday, Mayor Bill Peduto visited Obama to expound on moving forward in life and answer questions from students. He opened with a note on his appreciation of Obama’s recognition of its regional identity before moving onto the meat of his speech: his own story of achieving success. As he shared his life story and memories of frequent failure and disappointment, making sacrifices and learning from poor choices, he always returned to a message of “keep moving forward.” Whether the obstacle in front of him was the loss of a loved one or electoral failure, he consistently reminded the students in attendance of the importance of bouncing back from a loss, an idea that he credited for his success today and position as Mayor.

From there he opened himself up to a plethora of questions. Eager hands flew in the air almost immediately, each student vying for the chance to pick Bill Peduto’s brain. Inquiries ranged from the advantages and damages of gentrification to the mayor’s wished-for legacy to the potential impact of a teacher’s strike. In many of his responses, the mayor stressed the importance of local government in getting things done in politics and being responsive to the needs of citizens, especially in the context of the opioid epidemic and the city’s infrastructure, a message that seemed to resonate with students. In the end, the presentation ended in the same manner it began: with thunderous applause.

If you’d like to hear some audio from Mayor Peduto’s talk, click here.

We’d like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Peduto for taking the time out his busy schedule to see us. We’re confident that his sentiments served as an invaluable experience for all of those in attendance.

]]>A Great End to the Swim Seasonhttps://www.obamaeagle.org/all-posts/news/2018/02/13/a-great-end-to-the-swim-season/
Tue, 13 Feb 2018 15:33:19 +0000https://www.obamaeagle.org/?p=13152The winter season is coming to a close, and with it, another great year for the Obama Varsity Swim Team. From late November 2017 to the end of this month, 10 boys and 15 girls from Sci-Tech and Obama trained hard to try to qualify for the WPIAL Championships. This year, swimmers Amila Niksic, Sead Niksic, and David Donahue have, between the three of them, qualified for almost every individual event, along with one of Amila’s relay teams. These speedy swimmers have been competing for years, especially the Niksic siblings, and all look forward to competing for a champion title.

There are also some new swimmers, such as myself. I went from incapable of swimming in a straight line on day one, to being within 10 seconds of qualifying for multiple events after just three months of rigorous practices. A large part of this drastic improvement is thanks to our coaches, Mark Rauterkus and Stephanie Marcus. This was Coach Steph’s first year with the girls’ team, and she’s very proud of what we have accomplished. “I got to watch these girls go from nervous and timid swimmers to fast and self-confident contenders… And that’s what it’s all about: building up self-confidence and ability.” After all, we can do anything we put our minds to!

The Swim Team’s last meet, which is also our Senior Night, is this Thursday, February 15th. We will be swimming against Carrick at the Obama pool starting at 6pm. So come out and support your 2017-2018 Obama Varsity swimmers (especially the seniors)!

]]>How a Teachers Strike Could Affect the Cityhttps://www.obamaeagle.org/all-posts/news/2018/02/12/teachers-authorize-a-strike/
Tue, 13 Feb 2018 01:58:20 +0000https://www.obamaeagle.org/?p=13136In light of the authorization today of a strike by members of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers (read more here), students and parents have been confronted with a question that has not been asked for a decade: “How do we prepare?”

Unfortunately, there is relatively little that can be done to make specific plans for a strike at this stage in the process, but it is worth it to take a look at examples from Pittsburgh’s past as well as similar cities around the country.

The last time there was a strike in Pittsburgh, it was 1975, and the city was roughly 40% larger and far more financially stable than it is today. Despite that, or perhaps as a result, the strike put incredible stress on teacher-community bonds and shook the foundations of liberalism through the rest of the decade. Some studies have even attributed shifting attitudes towards unions and an increase in conservatism in the 70s to the fallout of the strike. A strike today might not have the same impact, but it would shake Pittsburgh’s dreams of solidifying its tech hub status and attracting new investment as a result of the city exiting Act 47.

A case study for how to prepare for a strike today comes from the city of St. Paul, Minnesota, which is the same size as Pittsburgh and just barely avoided a teachers strike over the past two days. As recently as this weekend a strike was believed to be on the horizon, and plans were made for some students to be shuttled to activities organized by community organizations, and for some meals to be provided by the district, but even their organizers admit that those efforts would have only reached a small portion of students. It is unclear if any of the major municipal actors in Pittsburgh have created procedures to follow in case of a strike, but it would be heartening if their plans end up resembling those made in St. Paul, should a strike occur.

]]>Teachers Officially Vote to Authorize Strikehttps://www.obamaeagle.org/all-posts/news/2018/02/12/teachers-officially-vote-to-authorize-strike/
Tue, 13 Feb 2018 01:45:20 +0000https://www.obamaeagle.org/?p=13137Pittsburgh Public School families may have been surprised Monday evening to hear a call from the district informing them that their teachers have voted to authorize a PFT strike.

While this does not guarantee that a strike will take place, this is an alarming next step in what has been an ongoing dispute between teachers and the school board regarding the state of the current contract, which expired in June of last year. Now, it appears that a walk-out may loom on the horizon. The voting process began around two weeks ago when a preliminary ballot was issued concerning the authorization. With the announcement today, that vote has been made official.

In all likelihood, there will be no strike this week or the following, as the union waits to see how the board will respond. If a strike were to occur, students are required to be given at least 48 hours notice, and will have to make up any time away from the classroom; this could potentially mean a shortening of spring break. By law, a strike cannot last more than three weeks.

This development comes on the heels of a speech given at Obama just this afternoon by Mayor Peduto, in which he warned of the dangers of such an escalation. For now, we just have to cross our fingers that a resolution is reached in the coming days.

The Eagle has been covering the conflict since November, when it published a thorough account of the situation, including interviews with multiple teachers as well as the president of the PFT, Nina Esposito-Visgitis. That story can be found here.